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PLA DADET, France -- On the last of four Pyrenees ascents, Rafal Majka winked at a French TV camera and tugged playfully at a motorcycles antenna. Even this late in the Tour de France, the Polish rider made winning look easy as he took Stage 17 on Wednesday. For Vincenzo Nibali, the second ride in the mountains on Frances border with Spain was more serious. "The Shark" nibbled yet more seconds away from several of his closest challengers, and the yellow jersey that he has worn for all but two days of the race seemed to fit just a little more tightly ahead of the finish Sunday in Paris. Nibali was even businesslike with his own prime minister, imploring him not to get too ahead of himself in celebration. "Its true that I received a text message from Matteo Renzi, who invited me to Chigi Palace to celebrate my victory," the cautious Sicilian said about the premiers official residence. "I replied that only after winning -- if I do so -- Ill be able to say that Ill be present." The 124.5-kilometre (77-mile) trek Wednesday was the shortest stage in this years Tour. It covered three hard Category 1 ascents from Saint-Gaudens and a final push up to Pla dAdet ski station above the town of Saint-Lary-Soulan. Majka, who also won Stage 14 in the Alps, again showed hes the best climber in this Tour and tightened his grip on the polka dot jersey awarded to the races King of the Mountains. Giovanni Visconti got the action going on the last climb with a solo breakaway with about nine kilometres (5 1/2 miles) left, but could not hold off Majka. Visconti, who also is Sicilian, was second, 29 seconds back, and Nibali was third, 46 seconds behind. With a last Pyrenean day ahead Thursday, Majka could ensure that he takes the red-dot jersey home. His closest rival for it when the stage started was Spains Joaquim Rodriguez, who swatted the air in frustration at Majka when the Pole broke away on the last climb. Majka said he felt "comfort" in the last five kilometres in part because hed been saving up energy a day earlier by riding easier. He finished in a bunch 24 1/2 minutes behind Australian teammate Michael Rogers, who won Stage 16. By Wednesday, "I felt really, really good in the last climb," Majka said, after tapping his chest, thrusting his arms skyward and shouting in joy at the victory. "For me, when there are a lot of climbs, its the best." There was a time when seemingly effortless victories smacked of something more sinister at the Tour: the use of performance-enhancers. Few know the scars of cyclings doping past more than Majkas own manager at the Tinkoff-Saxo Bank team, Bjarne Riis. Once a national hero in Denmark after winning the 1996 Tour, he admitted to using blood-booster EPO more than a decade later -- and was vilified for it. He laid low for a while, but then returned to the pro cycling world. "I promised Bjarne today that I would win the stage," said Majka. The echoes of doping resonated Wednesday on the grassy Pyrenean mountainside: The last times that Saint-Lary-Soulan hosted Tour stage finishes were in 2001 and 2005 -- won by Lance Armstrong and teammate George Hincapie. Those wins were later stripped because of doping. Their names have been crossed out in the official Tour history book. Cycling has made great strides in fighting doping with enhanced blood and urine testing, along with the biological passport program, but few experts would claim that the peloton today is entirely clean. Nibali, who has called himself a "flag-bearer of anti-doping", made his latest case to become the first Italian to win cyclings showcase race in 16 years -- since Marco Pantani, who was once convicted for doping. Nibali gained just under a minute on four of his closest rivals. Second-placed Alejandro Valverde of Spain, who made a valiant recovery on the last ascent to avoid even more damage, now trails by 5 minute, 26 seconds. The exception was Jean-Christophe Peraud of France, who hugged closely on the leaders back wheel and finished fourth. With his performance, the 37-year-old Frenchman made it an even closer race for the podium spots. He is fourth overall, 6:08 behind Nibali, but just eight seconds slower than fellow Frenchman Thibaut Pinot, in third. American Tejay van Garderen, in sixth, also lost about a minute to Nibali and trails by 10:19. It came a day after his hopes for a podium spot were dealt a big blow when he lost several minutes to the other aspirants for a top-three finish in Paris. "Yesterday was a pity, it was an off day," the BMC leader said. A podium spot is still possible, he added, "but it will be hard." Stage 18s finale in the Pyrenees takes the pack on a 145.5-kilometre (90-mile) loop from Pau to Hautacam, featuring two ascents that are so hard that they defy cyclings ranking system -- one of them an uphill finish. Then its a flat stage heading northward Friday before an individual time-trial a day later, and then whats likely to be the largely ceremonial ride for the yellow jersey in Stage 21 on Sunday to the Champs-Elysees in Paris for the finish of the races 101st edition. While well-positioned to be in yellow then, Nibali was still attacking Wednesday. "I preferred to go and gain a few more seconds and to be even more serene, just in case something could happen," he said. Shoes Ireland Next Day Delivery .C. - Heat coach Erik Spoelstra says Danny Granger, Chris Andersen and Udonis Haslem are still not ready to play and will miss Wednesday nights game against the Charlotte Hornets. Cheap Shoes Ireland Free Delivery .5 million contract with the right-handed reliever. 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Brad Jacobs is using the Continental Cup to make sure his team is ready for the tournament that really matters. Jacobs, who will represent Canada at the Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia next month, said hes just trying to prepare his team for curlings biggest stage. Watching what other teams are up to isnt on the Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., natives agenda. "Weve played them before," said Jacobs on Sunday. "We focus on our game. Everyones throwing the rock well right now, thats the main thing for our team. I really like what I see as skip from the other end. "Its really nice to be here playing on this great ice surface in really serious competition that everyones trying their hearts out at." Jacobs skipped Team North America to a second straight Continental Cup championship with a 36-24 win over Thomas Ulsruds Team World. Team North America won the winners cheque of $52,000 and a bonus of $13,000 for collecting the most points in the skins game Sunday, while the World team took home $26,000. The victory was clinched in the sixth end when Ulsrud missed his final shot, giving Team North America a 4-1 win, and the half-point it needed to push it to the 30-point threshold in the overall standings. Jacobs was joined at the Continental Cup on the womens side by Winnipegs Jennifer Jones, who will also go to Sochi for Canada. "I really dont know what to expect in Sochi," said Jacobs. "For this event the crowds and everything, phenomenal. Obviously the arena, I dont think is as big as this one over at the Olympics. Theres a lot of Canadians here, its really made this event a huge success so far." Jacobs may not have been focusing on the competition but at least one of his opponents made sure to watch what Canada was doing. Ulsrud, of Norway, captured silver at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver. He said it was beneficial to play the Olympic ccontenders.dddddddddddd. "The Canadian team are obviously a really good team, but were going to have to make them work for it Sochi when they meet Norway," said Ulsrud. "We couldnt have asked for more or for it (the week) to go any better," said Jones. "We just feel real good with the ice and how were playing heading into Sochi." But with the different format at the Continental Cup, Jones added she didnt get many new tips about her Olympic opponents. "We know these teams really well. You know what to expect and you know youre going to have to play great to beat them," said Jones. "Weve been training really well and feel like everythings going according to plan which is exactly what you want it to be heading into the Olympics." Scotlands David Murdoch called it "quite unique" to see Olympic teams so close to the Games. "You want to make sure youre throwing it nice and try to take some good form into the Olympics," said Murdoch. Eve Muirhead, who won gold for Scotland at last years womens world championship and will skip for Great Britain in Sochi, credited ice technician Hans Wuthrich for simulating the conditions at Sochi. "Youve got Hans making the ice, the same icemaker who is going to be at the Olympics," she said. "This was fantastic prep for the Games." Muirheads Team World lost 3-2 on Sunday to Team North America, skipped by Erika Brown of Oakville, Ont./Madison, Wisc. Brown will represent the United States in Sochi. The Continental Cup features six teams from North America facing off against six World teams in various curling matches including traditional games, mixed doubles, singles and skins play. In the mixed skins game, Team North Americas Jeff Stoughton, Emma Miskew, Mark Nichols and Lisa Weagle rolled to a 4-1 win over Team Worlds David Murdoch, Satsuki Fujisawa, Scott Andrews and Miyo Ichikawa. ' ' '